Latch



United States Patent LATCH Kenneth E. Luger, Minneapolis, Minn. Application November 13, 1952, Serial No. 320,183 1 Claim. (Cl. 292-1(16) My invention relates generally to latches and more specifically to safety catches for hook-type latches.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a hook-type latch which is provided with a longitudinal slide element, which, when moved to its limit of movement in the direction of the hook, closes the opening in the hook so as to prevent accidental displacement of the hook from its cooperating latch-pin.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a hook-acting latch of the type immediately above described, wherein the slide element is caused to bind or frictionally engage the hook element or latch bar as the same approaches its operative locking position, so as to discourage accidental displacement of the slide element.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which is extremely inexpensive to produce, which is simple and fool-proof in operation, which has a minimum of working parts, and which is extremely durable in use.

The above and still further important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a pair of cooperating barrier-forming members locked together by a pair of my novel latch devices;

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view in top plan, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the latch bar, and illustrating a different position of the parts than shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 identifies the opposite side members of a frame, which define an opening in a wall 2. Shown as blocking the opening, are a pair of cooperating barrierforming gates 3, which, preferably and as shown, are hinged, as at 4, and made temporarily rigid by means of my novel latch mechanism, identified in its entirety by the numeral 5.

As shown, the latch mechanism 5 comprises an elongated latch bar 6 having a pivotal aperture 7 adjacent one end, and a latch-pin receiving notch 8 opening laterally through its lower side edge 9 adjacent, but in spaced relation to, the other or free end 10. Bar 6 is provided with a longitudinally extended impressed or inwardly bulged portion 11 intermediate its longitudinal side edges 9 and 12. As shown, bulged portion 11 extends through the pivotal end 13 of the bar 6 and terminates in a shoulder 14 in spaced relation to the notch 8.

A slide member 15 has its longitudinal edges 16 and 17 bent to form guide flanges which extend around and over the longitudinal edges 9 and 12 of the bar 6, and thus slide 15 engages the outer face 18 of the bar 6 as well as the inner surface 19 thereof laterally outwardly of the 2,713,505 Patented July 19, 1955 inwardly bulged portion 11. As shown, particularly by Fig 4., the inwardly bulged portion 11 serves to space the guide flanges 16 and 17 from a surface to which the bar 6 is secured by means of a pivot-pin in the nature of a screw 20. See particularly Fig. 4, wherein the portion 11 bears upon the surface 21 of the barrier-forming member 3. Note that slide member 15 is likewise provided with an inwardly bulged portion 22 which work in the channel formed by the bulged portion 11 of, the bar 6. The inwardly bulged portion 22 likewise termi nates in a shoulder 23, which abuts the shoulder 14 of the inwardly bulged portion 11, and thus limits forward sliding movements of the slide 15. Preferably and as shown, the bulged portion 22 of the slide 15 is bent laterally outwardly, as at 24, to facilitate engagement by the finger of the operator. The slide 15 is provided with an outwardly projecting tongue 25 which closes the open end of the notch 8 when said slide is moved to the limit of its movement in the direction of the notch 8, that is, until the shoulder portion 23 abuts the shoulder 14.

It will be noted that the opposite longitudinal edges 9 and 12 of the latch bar 6 flare outwardly from the intermediate portion toward the notched end 10, as indicated by the numeral 26, whereby to cause a binding action therebetween and the slide 15, as said slide approaches the notch-closing position. This binding action, or frictional engagement, tends to discourage accidental movement of the slide 15 once it has been placed in a notch-closing position with the latch-pin 27 within the notch 8. To increase the binding action of the slide 15 upon the longitudinal edges 9 and 12 of the bar 6, I preferably provide the bar 6 with an outwardly bulged pimple-like portion 28 intermediate the shoulder 14 and the notch 8 at approximately the transverse center of said bar 6. When the forward portion 29 of the slide 15 engages the pimple-like portion 28, it rides up upon the same and tends to draw the guide flanges 16 and 17 into engagement with the outwardly flaring edges 26. Also preferably and as shown, the free end 10 of the latch bar 6 is provided with an inwardly bulged portion 30, which provides a bearing surface for engagement with the surface 21 of the barrier 3, or other surface to which the latch bar may be secured.

It should be obvious that my novel latch device has numerous uses other than as specifically shown, wherein it is used to secure together the barrier-forming gate elements 3 between the side frame members 1 of an open doorway. In this manner, the doorway is made impassable to infants. When so used, the latch bar 6 is secured to the outer surface 21 of one of the gate elements 3, and is hence not visible to the infants. Furthermore, engagement of the mechanism by the infants hand when grasping the rail, to which it is secured, will not cause disengagement of the latch bar 6 with the latch-pin 27 because of the considerable frictional engagement of the elements as above described.

While I have disclosed a commercial embodiment of my novel structure, it should be obvious that same is capable of modification without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

An elongated latch bar having a pivot aperture adjacent one end and a latch-pin receiving notch opening laterally through one of its side edges adjacent its other end, a slide member on said latch bar embracing opposite flat side portions and opposite longitudinal edge portions thereof, said slide having a longitudinally outwardly extended tongue which closes the open end of said notch when the slide is moved to the limit of its movement in the direction of said notch, the longitudinal edges of said latch bar flaring outwardly from the intermediate portion thereof toward the notch whereby to cause a binding action therebetween and the slide member as said slide member approaches notch closing position, said latch bar having a longitudinally extended central portion which is bulged inwardly in the direction of a gate to which said latch bar is adapted to be pivotally secured, said inwardly bulged portion extending through the pivotal end thereof and terminating at its opposite end in spaced relation to said notch, said slide having its longitudinal edge portions bent around and over the longitudinal edges of the bar and engaging the inner surface of the bar laterally outwardly of the inwardly bulged portion of the bar, the inwardly bulged portion of the bar serving to space the guide flanges of the slide from a surface to which the latch bar is pivoted, said slide being provided with an inwardly bulged portion which is nestingly received in the inwardly bulged portion of the bar, the adjacent ends of the inwardly bulged portions of the slide and bar serving as a positive stop limiting forward sliding movements of the slide, said bar also having an out- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 812,879 Rice Feb. 20, 1907 1,737,730 Reidhaar Dec. 3, 1929 2,503,315 Baker Apr. 11, 1950 2,592,843 Andrews Apr. 15, 1952 

